Fountain pen



Oct. 10, 1944. R. T. WING FOUNTAIN PEN Filed April 10, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR RUSSELL T WING ATTORNEYS mm I Oct. 10, 1944. R. T. WING 2,360,297

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed April 10, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RUSSELL T WING Patented Oct. 10, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN Russell T. Wing, Excelsior, Minn. Application April 10, 1944, Serial No. 530,330

17 Claims.

My invention relates to fountain pens and it has to do particularly with fountainpens having ink feeding mechanism and a pen nibcovered by a shell that encloses and shields the pen nib, except the extreme writing point thereof,

against damage, covers the feed mechanism in such a way as to prevent drying out of the ink therein, and facilitates the handling of the pen inwriting by permitting it to be held in close prpximity to the writing point without smearing was fingers with ink during writing and filling operations.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved fountain pen of the foregoing character.

Another object is to provide improved feed mechanism for fountain pens of the foregoing character.

A further object is to provide an improved fountain pen of the foregoing character having feed mechanism comprising ink feed means including ink and air passages, a shell member enclosing the ink feed means, and a pen nib supported by the ink feed means and enclosed by the shell except for the extreme writing tip thereof.

An additional object is to provide a fountain pen of the foregoing character wherein the ink feed means is mounted'within and carried by the shell as a self-contained part thereof, the pen nib is supported by the feed means and all of said parts constitute, in their assembled relationship, a self-contained unit that may be applied to and removed from the forward end of a pen barrel without disturbing the assembled relationship of such parts.

A further object is to provide a self-contained unit of the foregoing character which is adapted to be applied to the forward end of a fountain pen barrel directly in communication with an ink reservoir enclosed by such barrel in direct ink-flow communication with the ink feeding means of the unit.

A further and more specific object is to provide a self-contained unit of the foregoing character wherein the ink reservoir comprises a member carried by the self-contained unit in communication with the feed means thereof so that such unit, with its contained reservoir, may be applied to or removed from the barrel of the pen as a self-contained unit without disturbing the assembled relationship of the parts.

Still another object is to provide a fountain pen of the foregoing character wherein the shell, feed and nib parts thereof may be easily,

quickly and accurately assembled at the factory and in the field without the use of special tools and skilled labor, and such parts may be' maintained more definitely and permanently in best writing condition when attached to the pen barrel.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description progresses and by reference to the drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the forward end of one form of fountain pen embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the fountain pen shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure '2;

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 66 of Figure 5.

The pen shown in the drawings comprises a barrel i0 (only partially shown) which may take any desired shape. The barrel in, at its forward end, is provided with external threads I l adapted to cooperate with the threads of a so-called closure cap (not shown) for enclosing the for ward end of the pen when it is not in use. The threads ii may, if desired, be dispensed with and, instead, a slip-fit cap connection may be employed as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,223,541, in the name of Marlin S. Baker on December 3, 1940. v

The pen shown includes ink feed mechanism with which my invention is particularly concerned. This mechanism as shown in Figures 3 to 6, inclusive, takes the form of an annular feed member i2 slip-fitted within and carried by an outer shell !3. The rear end of the shell 93 is provided with a reduced cylindrical shank M adapted to be slip-fitted into the forward open end of the barrel ID. If desired, the shell shank may be threaded and screwed into the barrel Ill. The feed member I! supports a metallic nib l5 within the shell I 3 in-such a way that only the writing tip i5 of such nib projects through a reduced opening l3 in the extreme forward end of the shell l3. As shown in the drawings, and as will be more fully explained hereinafter, the feed member l2, shell 93 and nib l5 comprise, in their assembled relation as shown, a self-contained unit that may be applied to and removed from the forward end of the barrel l0 without disturbing the assembled relationship of these parts. This unit further includes, in the specific adaptation of my invention illustrated, an ink sac I6 serving as a fiexible ink reservoir which is carried by the rear end of the feed member l2 in such a way that ink contained in the sac I6 is in direct ink-flow connection with ink feed means to be described. The ink sac 16 may be deflated and infiated in any manner as by use of a wellknown depressible pressure bar H, a portion only of which is shown in Figure 3. Or, if desired, the ink sac l6 may be dispensed with, in which event the hollow barrel 10 would serve as the ink reservoir, such reservoir being filled with ink in any desired manner as by-the use of a filling mechanism of the type shown and described, for example, in the Dahlberg United States Letters Patent No. 1,904,358.

Specifically, the feed member I 2 takes the form of an elongated plug or core-like member which is of the same exterior shape as the interior of the'shell l3. The member I2 is provided with a rear shank portion l2" which is frictionally fitted in the rear end of the shell l3 with sufficient tightness to firmly retain it in place. The shank of member 12 is provided with an annular rib-like stop 20 near its rear end which is adapted to abut the inner end of the shell I3 to thereby limit the extent to which the member 12 may be inserted within the shell. The rear end of the shank I2 of the feed member l2 extends inwardly from the annular rib 20 and within the pen barrel II) to support the forward or open end of the ink sac l6.

The feed member I2 is provided with ink and air feed means that control the feed of the ink from the reservoir l6 to the writing tip l of the nib [5. More particularly, the upper portion of the feed member I2 is provided throughout its length with a cylindrical opening 22 in which is snugly received the cylindrical hollow shank l5 of the nib l5. The nib I5 is assembled by inserting the forward end thereof in the rear end of the opening 22, the rear end of the nib being flared as at l5 to seat against the complementally shaped rear end portion of the wall forming the opening 22 to position the nib in the member I2 with only the writingtip l5 projecting through the shell opening I3.

The nib l5 forwardly of its cylindrical shank I5 is flattened and slitted to provide the writing tip with flexible nib portions between which is a capillary ink feed fissure 23 (Figures 4-6). The slitted portion of the flattened nib end extends back into the forward end of the cylindrical shank portion l5 so that the interior of the cylindrical nib, which at its rear end is connected to the ink reservoir, is connected to the ink fissure 23. The fissure 23 at its juncture with the cylindrical nib shank l5 may be, for example, of approximately .005" in width, with the forward nib portions spaced apart to such an extent that such fissure at the writing tip of the pen is approximately .002 to .003 in width. These dimensions are given merely by way of illustration and it is to be understood that any capillary fissure dimensions customarily employed for feeding ink at the forward end of a pin nib may be used. With the foregoing arrangement the interior of the nib shank l5 serves as an ink feed channel which conducts ink from the reservoir l6 directly to the capillary slit 23 of the front portion of the nib.

The nib I5 is yieldingly supported within the opening 22. To this end, a coil spring 23 is mounted within the cylindrical nib shank 15'.

The front end of the spring 23 is seated against the slitted front end of the cylindrical nib shank l5 and the rear end of it is seated against a pin 23 carried by the rear end of the member shank l2 in such a position that it passes through the opening 22 and diametrically opposed slots 30 in the rear end of the shank l5. With this arrangement, the fit between the tubular nib shank 15 andthe wall of the opening 22 may be sufiicient to normally support the nib without movement when normal writing pressure is applied thereto. However, if excessive or abnormal pressure is applied to the nib ii, the spring 28 will yield and permit the nib l5 to move slightly inward and prevent breakage.

The feed member I! forwardly of its shank I2 is provided with a plurality of annular, circumferentially disposed fins 24 which provide within the shell a plurality of cells 25. The fins 24 are so spaced apart that the cells 25 provided thereby are of capillary dimension. The cells 25 cooperating with the remainder of the ink feed means provide an ink collector which receives and stores ink in excess of that required for existing writing conditions. The cells 25 also, in conjunction with the remainder of the feed means, control the flow of ink from the reservoir l6 t0 the writing tip l5 in such a way as to insure instantaneous writing and continuous and uniform fiow of ink at all times for writing purposes.

To the foregoing end, the feed member I2 is provided throughout its length with a longitudinally extending fissure 26 which is cut through the wall of the opening 22. The fissure 26 also intersects or cuts through the inner surfaces of the fins 24 thereby connecting with the cells 25. It will be seen that the rear end of the fissure 26 is directly connected to the ink reservoir l6 and that. it is also connected throughout its length with the opening 22 and the several capillary cells 25. The fissure 26 is of capillary dimension, being preferably no greater than .013" in width. The cells 25 are of a capillary width somewhat greater than the wldth of the fissure 26, the rearmost cells being preferably of a width not greater than .020" and the foremost cells being of a width not greater than .030". It is to be understood that the relative dimensions of the fissure 26 and cells 25 may be varied so long as the capillary dimension of the smallest of the cells 25 be not less than the capillary dimension of the fissure 26.

Thefeed member l2 additionally includes an air channel 21 formed by a slot cut through and intersecting the lower edges of the fins 24 substantially directly beneath the fissure 26. The air channel 21 admits air to the ink reservoir solely through this channel by way of the forward shell opening I 3* and one or more of the capillary cells 25 and the fissure 26 which serves, in effect, as a so-called weir vent. Also, the air channel 21 is so connected to the cells 25 that, during the filling operation, ink passes to the reservoir l6 through the air channel 21, the cells 25 and fissure 26 as well as through the fissure 23 and the cylindrical nib I5".

I believe that my invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description. The ink feed and control mechanism hereinabove described, while of different specific construction, conforms in principle to the ink feed and control mechanisms described in United States Letters Patent Nos. 2,187,528 and 2,282,840 granted to me on January 16, 1940, and May 12, 1942, respectively. Briefly, in use, the ink sac or reservoir I6 is filled with ink in a manner well understood. When the ink reservoir 16 is filled with ink the ink feed passages. namely, the capillary fissure 23 in the writing end portion of the nib, the nib shank I6 and the fissure 26 are filled with ink and the pen is ready for writing. At that time, if ink is also contained in any of the cells 25 due to the filling operation or to any condition that would require the accommodation of excess ink, and writing occurs, the structure described functions, as described in my aforesaid patents, to first empty the cells 25 before taking ink from the reservoir l6. As soon as the cells 25 are emptied, the flow of ink from the reservoir 1 6 will take place through the nib shank fissure 26 and fissure 23. It will be noted that the feed fissure 26 is directly connected with the enlarged end of the feed fissure 23 at the juncture with the tubular portion of the nib shank l5 so that ink may be supplied to the nib fissure 23 not only through the nib shank I 5 but also through the feed fissure 26 which is directly connected with the cells 26, whereby the foregoing results of ink control are attained. If, in the use of the pen, a condition arises wherein the ink is forced out of the reservoir I6 as by expansion of air from the heat of the hand or by a rise in temperature in the environment in which the pen is used, or by change in the outside atmospheric pressure, as in riding in an airplane, ink in excess of that required for existing writing conditions may be forced out of the reservoir. In that case, the excess ink will be taken up by the cells 25, preventing flooding of ink at the writing tip of the pen. In view of the fact that the reservoir I6 is connected to the atmosphere via the air channel 21 and one or more of the cells 25, when ink is in which projects through the opening in" the freeed by said feed member within said shell member and concealed by the latter except its writing tip end ofsaid shell member to cover the nib to a maximum extent without interfering with writting, said shell member, feed member and nib being firmly supported in the relation defined so that they may be applied to and removed from said barrel as a self-contained unit without dis- .turbingthe assembled relationship thereof.

2. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained ink-feed and writing unit which comprises an annular shell member having the rear end thereof adapted to be detachably supported by the open end of said barrel and having an opening in its forward end, an ink feed member covered by and supported by said shell member, said feed member having therein ink feed means including ink and air feed fissures and storage means for receiving ink under conditions of excess ink flow, and a pen nib supported by said feed member within said shell member in ink flow communication the cells 25, air fiow to the reservoir I6 is stopped I and no more ink is fed therefrom until the cells I 25 are cleared of ink. The ink flow to the writing tip IE will then be from the cells 25 until they are emptied, all as more fully explained in my said patents. When the cells are emptied, and the air fiow connection with the reservoir I6 is re-established, ink for writing purposes will againbe fed from the reservoir l6.

It will also be seen from the foregoing description that my invention provides a unitary feed structure comprising a shell l3, a feed member l2 and a nib I5, which constitute a self-contained unit that may be applied to and removed from the front end of the barrel I0 without in any way disturbing the assembled or functional relationship of these parts. Furthermore, where an ink sac or the like is employed as the ink reservoir, the latter constitutes a part of the self-contained unit so that it may be removed from and replaced in the barrel along with the shell and other parts. This is a highly advantageous feature from the standpoint of assembly and maintenance of the parts in proper ad- Justed positionso as to minimize the repair problem.

I claim: 1. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained feed and writing unit which comprises a shell member having one end thereof adapted to be detachably supported by the open end of said barrel and having an opening in its other and free end, an ink feed member enclosed and supported by said shell, said feed member having therein ink and air feed means and means for receiving ink under conditions of exces sink flow, and a pen nib supportwith said ink feed means and concealed by said shell member except at its writing tip which projects through the opening in the free end of said shell member to cover the 'nib to a maximum extent without interfering with writing, said shell member, feed member and nib being rigidly supported in the relation defined so that they may be applied to and removed from said barrel as a self-contained unit without disturbing the assembly and functional relationships thereof.

3. In a. fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, ink-feed and writing means which comprises an elongated shell member having one end adapted to be supported by the open end of the barrel with an opening in its other or free end, an ink feed member mounted within and immovably carried by said shell member, said feed member having capillary ink feed means, air admission means and a plurality of capillary cells therein, said cells being adapted to receive and store ink when excess ink flowconditions occur, and a pen nib supported by said feed member within said shell member with only its writing tip portion projecting through the opening in the free end of said shell member to cover the nib to a maximum extent without interfering with writing, said shell member, feed member and pen nib constituting a self-contained unit adapted to be applied to and removed from the open end of said barrel without disturbing the assembled unitary mounting and alignment thereof.

4. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained ink-feed and writing unit adapted to be applied to and removed from the open end of the barrel without disturbing the relationship of the parts thereof which comprises an elongated shell member having its rear end portion adapted to be supported by the open end portion of the barrel and having an opening in its forward end, an elongated feed member firmly supported within said shell memher so as to be carried thereby as an enclosed and self-contained part thereof, said feed member having a longitudinal ink feed fissure adapted to be connected at its rear end with an ink reservoir and at its forward end with the writing tip of a pen nib, said feed member also having means providing a plurality of capillary cells operatively associated with said feed fissure-and adapted under excess ink flow conditions to receive ink from said feed fissure, said feed fissure and cells being so disposed within said shell member that air for ink feed purposes is admitted through the opening in the front end of said shell member to said cells and feed fissure, and a pen nib supported within said shell member by said feed member in such a way that it is connected with said feed fissure and is wholly concealed within said shell member except for its writing tip portion which projects through the opening in the forward end of said shell member to cover the nib to a maximum extent without interfering with writing.

5. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained ink-feed and writing unit mounted at the open end of the barrel and constituting a self-contained unit adapted to be applied to and removed from the barrel without'disturblng the assembled relationship of parts thereof which comprises an elongated shell member having its rear portion adapted to be carried by the open end of the barrel and having in its forward end an opening, a feed member including ink and air feed means immovably mounted within and carried by said shell member, a pen nib supported by said feed member in operative association with the ink and air feed means thereof and being concealed by said shell member except the writing tip thereof which projects through said opening in the forward end of said shell member to cover the nib to a maximum extent without interfering with writing, and ink reservoir means carried by the rear end of said feed member and adapted to project within the barrel and to be enclosed thereby when said unit is applied to said barrel, said reservoir means being in direct flow communication with said ink and air feed means in the assembled relationship of said parts.

6. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained ink-feed and writing unit mounted at the open end of the barrel and constituting a self-contained unit adapted to be applied to and removed from the barrel without disturbing the assembled relationship of parts thereof which comprises an elongated shell member having its rear portion adapted to be carried by the open end of the barrel and having in its forward end an opening, a feed member im-' movably mounted within and carried by said shell member, said feed member having ink and air feed means and a plurality of capillary storage cells adapted to receive and store ink under excess ink flow conditions, said ink and air feed means and capillary storage cells being connected with the atmosphere through said opening in the forward end of said shell member, and an ink reservoir carriedby the rear end of said feed member and adapted to project within the barrel and to be enclosed thereby when said unit is applied to said barrel, said reservoir being in direct fiow communication with said ink and air feed means in the assembled relationship of said parts, air being admitted to said reservoir for the feeding of ink therefrom by way of the said opening in the forward end of said shell member, said storage cells, and said ink and air feed means.

7. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, an ink-feed and writing unit adapted to be applied to and removed from the open end portion of the barrel as a self-contained unit which comprises a shell member having its rear end portion adapted to be connected to the open end of the barrel, a feed member immovably mounted within said shell member, said feed member having an ink feed channel, a plurality of capillary cells operably associated with said feed channel and adapted to store ink under excess flow conditions and a separate air channel communicating with said cells whereby air admitted through said opening in the forward end of said shell member passes through said cells and feed channel, the rear end of said unit when applied to the barrel being adapted to communicate with an ink reservoir, and a pen nib carried by said feed member in ink flow communication with said feed channel and concealed by said shell member except for its writing tip portion which projects through said opening in the forward end of said shell member to cover .the nib to a maximum extent without interfering with writing.

8. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained feed and writing unit which comprises an elongated shell member having a reduced portion at its rear end detachably secured within the open end of the barrel and having an opening in its forward end,

means at the front end of said barrel adjacent said shell member for securing a cap thereto, a pen nib within said shell member and concealed by the latter except its writing tip which projects eccentrically through said opening, the underside of the shell being curved toward said writing tip and the upper side of the shell extending substantially straight toward said tip, and an ink feed member enclosed and supported by said shell member and supporting said nib, said feed member having therein ink and air feed means and means for receiving ink under conditions of excess ink flow, said shell and feed members and said nib being firmly supported in the relation defined so that they may be applied to and removed from said barrel as a self-contained unit without disturbing the assembled 7 relationship,

thereof.

9. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained feed and writing unit which comprises an elongated shell member the rear end of which conforms to the shape of the front end of the barrel and forms an extension thereof, said shell member also having at its rear end a reduced portion adapted to fit within the barrel to detachably secure the unit to the barrel, said shell member further having an opening in its forward end, a pen nib within said shell member and concealed by the latter except its writing tip which projects eccentrically through said opening, the underside of the shell being curved toward said writing tip and the upper side of the shell extending substantially straight toward said tip, and an ink feed member enclosed and supported by said shell member and supporting said nib, said feed member having therein ink and air feed means and means for receiving ink under conditions of excess ink flow, said shell and feed members and said nib being firmly supported in the relation defined so that they may be applied to and removed from said barrel as a self-contained unit without disturbing the assembled relationship 2,300,297 said feed member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced circumferentially extending fins providing a plurality of circumferential capillary cells therein, said feed member also having longitudinalhr extending capillary ink feed means as well as air-admission means intersecting said cells at spaced points, said cells being adapted to receive and store ink when excess ink flow conditions occur, and a pen nib supported by said feed member within said shell member, with only its writing tip portion projecting through the' opening in the free end of said shell member, said shell and feed members and said pen nib constituting a self-contained unit adapted to be applied to and removed from the open end of said barrel without disturbing the assembled unitary mounting and alignment thereof.

11. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, ink-feed and writing means which comprises an elongated shell member having one end adapted to be supported by the open end of the barrel with an opening in its other or free end, an ink feed member mounted within and immovably carried by said shell member, said feed member having a plurality of longituq dinally spaced circumferentially extending fins providing a plurality of circumferential capillary cells therein, said feed member also having ink feed means as well as air-admission means spaced from the ink-feed means with the cells connecting said ink-feed means and said air-admission means, said cells being adapted to receive and store ink when excess ink flow conditions occur, and a pen nib supported by said feed member within said shell member and overlying the inkfeed means with only its writing tip portion projecting through the opening in the free end of said shell member, said shell and feed members and said pen nib constituting a self-contained unit adapted to be applied to and removed from the open'end of said barrel without disturbing the assembled unitary mounting and alignment thereof.

12. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained feed and writ ing unit which comprises a one-piece shell memher having one end thereof adapted to be directly and detachably supported by the open end of said barrel and having an opening in its other and free end, an ink feed member enclosed and supported within said shell member and having ink and air feed means and means for receiving ink under conditions of excess ink fiow, said feed member being the only part Of the unit having such excess ink receiving means, and a pen nib supported by said feed member within said shell member and concealed by the latter except its writing tip which projects through the opening in the free end of said shell member whereby said pen may be grasped close to said writing tip without touching the nib and smearing ink on the fingers, said nib having ink feed means communicating with the ink feed means of said feed member, and said shell member, feed member and nib being firmly supported in the relation defined so that they may be applied to and removed from said barrel as a self-contained unit without disturbing the assembled relationship thereof.

13. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained feed and writing unit which comprises a one-piece shell member having one end thereof adapted to be directly and detachably secured in the open end of said barrel and having an opening extending lengthwise therethrough to and through its other and free'end, ah ml: feed memberenclosed and firmly supported'within said shell member and having therein k feed means and means for receiving ink from said ink feed means under conditions of excess ink flow in said feed means, a pen nib supported within said shell member and having a slitted writing end portion disposed in communication with the ink feed means of said feed member, and having'a writing tip at the extreme end of said writing end portion, said nib being concealed by said shell member except said wri g tip which projects through the opening in. tlfigrree end of said shell membenwhereby said pen ay be grasped close to said writing tip without the fingers touching it and becoming smeared with ink, and means providing an ink reservoir adapted to be rec ived in said barrel in communication with said feed means to supply ink to the writing tip/6f said nib, said shell member, feed member, and reservoir means being firmly assembled i he relation defined so that they may be applied to and removed from said barrel as a self-contained unit without disturbing the assembled relationship thereof.

14. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open front end portion, aself-contained ink-feed and writing unit which comprises an elongated one-piece shell member the outer surface of the exposed rear end of which conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the front end of the barrel and forms a hollow extension thereof, said shell member also having at its rear end a reduced rearwardly-extending portion adapted to engage within the open front end portion of the barrel to detachably secure the unit to the barrel, said shell member further having an opening in its forward end, a, pen nib mounted within said shell member'and concealed by the latter except its writing tip which slightly projects through said shell member opening eccentrically and at the upper side of said shell member whereby said pen may be grasped close to said writing tip without touching the nib and smearing the fingers with ink, an ink feed member immovably mounted within said shell member and serving as a support for said nib and having therein ink feed means and means for receiving ink under conditions of excess ink flow, said feed member being the only part of the pen having excess ink receiving means, and an ink reservoir carried by one of the members of the unit in communication with said ink feed means for supply ing ink to said ink feed means and nib, said shell member, feed member, nib and reservoir being firmly assembled in aligned relation to provide a self-contained unitary structure that may be applied to and removed from said barrel merely by inserting said reservoir and the reduced portion of the shell member in or withdrawing said reservoir and said reduced portion from the barrel, the assembly and alignment of the parts of said unit being undisturbed by such insertion or withdrawal.

15. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an opening in its forward end, a self-contained penholding and ink-feeding unit which comprises an elongated one-piece shell member providing a forward extension of the barrel and of suflicient length to be readily grasped and supported by the fingers of the user, said shell member having a reduced rear extension detachably received in said barrel opening for securing said shell member directly to said barrel with the outer wall of said shell member at its rear end substantially flush with the adjacent forward outer wall of said opening extending from end to end thereof, ink

aseaac'r such a position therein that the writingtip of said nib and only that part thereof projects feed means mounted within said shell member and provided with means for feeding ink, admitting air, and storing ink in excess of that required for writing purposes, a pen nib supported within and concealed by said shell member except its writing tip which projects through the opening in the front end of said shell member whereby the fingers of the user when grasping said shell member are close to said writing tip without touching the nib to thereby avoid smearing of ink on the fingers, and ink reservoir means adapted to extend into the barrel and communicating with said ink feeding means to supply ink to said nib, said shell member, feed means, nib and reservoir being firmly supported in the relation defined so that they may be applied to and removed from said barrel as a self-contained unit without disturbing the assembled unitary mounting and alignment of the parts thereof.

16. In a fountain pen having a barrel with an open end portion, a self-contained ink-feed and writing unit which comprises an elongated onepiece shell member having an opening therethrough from end to end thereof and also having means at its rear end by which it is directly and detachably secured to the open end of said barrel, a nib-supporting member mounted within said shell member and having an opening extending therethrough from end to end thereof, inkfeed means within said nib supporting member and extending substantially from end to end of the latter, means within said nib supporting member for receiving from said ink-feeding means ink flowing in excess of that required for writing purposes, a pen nib mounted within said nibsupporting member and having a slitted writing end portion disposed in communication with said ink-feeding means, said nib also having a writing tip at the extreme outer end of its writing end portion, said nib-supporting member, ink-feed means, excess flow means and nib constituting a self-contained sub-unit adapted to be firmly fitted within the opening of said shell member-at defined parts.

through the opening in the forward end of said shell member, said shell member and said submeans at its rear end by which it is directly and detachably secured to the open end of said barrel, a nib-supporting member mounted within said shell member and having an opening extending therethrough from end to end thereof, ink-feed means within said nib supporting member and extending substantially from end to end of the latter, means within said nib supporting member for receiving from said ink-feeding means ink fiowing in excess of that required for writing purposes, a pen nib mounted within said nib-supporting member and having a slitted writing end portion disposed in communication with said ink-feeding means, said nib also having a writing tip at the extreme outer end of its writing end portion, said nib-supporting member, inkfeed means, excess flow means and nib constituting a self -contained sub-unit adapted to be firmly fitted within the opening of said shell member at such a position therein that the writing tip of said nib and only that part thereof projects through the opening in the forward end of said shell member, and ink reservoir means in communication with said ink feed means to supply ink to the writing tip of said nib, said shell member, said sub-unit and said ink reservoir means constitutthe assembled relationship of any of the above- RUSSELL T. WING.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2, 0,297. October 10, 1914A.

RUSSELL T. WING.

It ishereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the drawings, Sheet 2, Figures 1 and 6 should appear as shown below instead of as in the patent and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of January, A. D. 1915.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents 

